HAT-TRICK hero Grant Holt saw the Canaries sail through to the next round of the 2009 Carling Cup competition, as they beat Yeovil 4-0 at Huish Park this evening.
Wes Hoolahan opened the scoring for City from the penalty spot 54 minutes in, after Adam Drury was brought down by the home side's Scott Murray. Exactly ten minutes later, Simon Whaley's cross found Grant Holt who headed home his first for Norwich City.
An excellent display again came from Holt in the 81st minute - Tom Adeyemi's attempt at goal was saved by 'keeper Alex McCarthy, but the number nine quickly reacted to the rebound and rolled the ball straight to the back of the net.
The 90th minute saw another terrific strike by Holt, curling in off the Glover's left-hand post from 20 yards.
Speaking to canaries.co.uk after the match, Holt said: "It's about winning and we have to go out and put on performances which we know we can do. We can't give any more cheap goals away - now it's all about the weekend at Exeter. Today we did brilliantly, Ben (Alnwick) was great in goal, the back four was strong and I think we put them under a lot of pressure.
"We know we could do it and now it's just a case of rolling it out at Exeter and doing it again. It's nice to get a goal, three's a bonus - it's great for me but as a team that was what we needed, it was the most important thing. We knew the performance was there, we knew on Saturday we didn't get to a level which was satisfactory enough for our squad.
"That's the Cup and now the league is a different matter - we've got Exeter on Saturday and I want to break my league duck, get off the mark and start scoring. I want to score as many goals as possible to get us up the league."
Speaking to First News after the match, Gunn commented: "We asked for a reaction after Saturday's game, and we got that. Certainly tonight, the 11 that started and the three subs who came on, applied themselves - we asked for unity, and although Saturday was disappointing at the same time, the response was what we asked for.
"I asked Grant (Holt) what his best position was - right-back, centre-midfield, left-wing - he kept turning out in all sorts but he showed his character tonight as he probably didn't get the service he needed on Saturday. With Cody's pace, that causes problems too so we're delighted for Grant."
The Canaries looked a different side from the off, with changes to the starting line-up - Ben Alnwick replaced Michael Theoklitos in goal, Michael Spillane took over the right-back position from Jon Otsemobor and Jens Berthal Askou coming in at left centre-back alongside Gary Doherty.
In midfield a forced change occurred due to Owain Tudur Jones absent while away with the Welsh national side - Tom Adeyemi stepped up in replacement on his first league start for City.
Final score: Yeovil 0 Norwich 4
Excellent second-half attacking performance by City - Grant Holt scoring a hat-trick and good performances by Tom Adeyemi on his first professional league start and Cody McDonald up-front. City are in the next round of the Carling Cup, which is drawn after tomorrow night's fixtures and hopefully can take confidence from this performance into Saturday's league game at Exeter.
90th: Wonderful strike by Grant Holt for his hat-trick. Three minutes of additional time to be played.
89th: Maric looks to bring the ball down in the Yeovil box but is deemed offside.
87th: Nathan Jones receives first yellow card of the night after a challenge on Spillane.
84th: Goran Maric comes on for Cody McDonald. Yeovil also make a change - Welsh relaced by Nathan Smith.
83rd: wstarcanary: "whatever else we mustn't concede - apart from winning there is nothing that will do us more good than keeping a clean sheet."
81st: Holt scores second of night and City's third. Adeyemi has an attempt which is saved but rebound falls for Holt who slots home.
80th: Break down right by Yeovil but good challenges by City's defenders means Alnwick can collect the ball.
78th: Cody McDonald with another good attempt but it goes wide of the left-hand post.
74th: Two good opportunities in moments for City. The first McDonald has an effort which cannons off the bar after he picks up ball from Holt. Then the former Dartford man puts a great ball straight across the face of Yeovil's goal but unfortunately can't find the far post and no one is there to tap it in.
71st: wstarcanary "OTB only lists 6 subs, none out-and-out defenders, is this right or is Nelson a sub? We need to close this game out." Nelson isn't on the bench - the only real defensive option was Lappin who has come on. Cureton Maric, Martin and McVeigh remain.
69th: Simon Lappin replaces Adam Drury at left-back.
68th: Yeovil looking to respond but can't find a way through City's lines.
64th: Grant Holt scores his first Canary goal with diving header. Good work by Adeyemi feeds Whaley whose cross is met by the former Shewsbury man.
62nd: Yeovil substitution - Scott Murray replaced by Jonathan Obika.
60th: Yeovil corner but Alnwick collects comfortably. Tonight's attendance is 3,860, with 699 travelling Norwich fans.
57th: City break down Yeovil attack and swiftly push forward themselves - McDonald fighting for the ball on the edge of the box but is nudged off ball and the home-side clear.
54th: Penalty! Drury fouled in the box by Murray. Hoolahan gives City lead - cooly taken slotted past McCarthy, who dives the right way to his left but Wes' shot is too strong.
52nd: First substitution of game - Stephen Hughes replaces Gill in midfield. Gill limps down tunnel.
51st: Hoolahan wins free-kick deep in City half. Gill looks to be struggling and Hughes getting stripped off by looks of it.
49th: Gill receives treatment but returns to pitch and City are in possession down left.
46th: First attack of second-half by Yeovil through Caulker and Williams but swiftly folllowed by response by City - Hoolhan and Grant pressing forward but Irishman's cross cleared away.
Yeovil kick-off second half. No changes for either side.
Half-time: Yeovil 0 Norwich 0 - both teams had good spells but still go in at half-time even. Spillane with best opportunity for City, saved off line by Murray and Murray and Tomlin looking bright for the home-side.
45th: Yeovil end half brightly - Murray with another wide shot.
42nd: Yeovil chance - Tomlin strike requires Alnwick to make low save and Askou clears for corner.
41st: Canary corner - Hoolahan takes looking for Doherty but the defender can't quite connect and ball drifts away.
39th: City regain possession with a good spell - two corners on trot but Yeovil clear danger.
36th: Good link-up play for another Canary corner - Hoolahan and Drury down left. Hoolahan takes and the ball falls to Spillane who smashes ball towards goal - certain to go in if not for a goal-line clearance by Scott Murray. Didn't know much about it and City unlucky not to be ahead.
31st: Holt provides pass to Whaley who has wild attempt over the bar.
29th: Yeovil have got hold of possession last few minutes but City defence remain firm and make some important interceptions.
26th: Another Yeovil free-kick whipped in from left by Murray but Alnwick punches away.
24th: Yeovil free-kick on outide of City's box. Nathan Jones takes but it drops just wide of Alnwick's left post.
22nd: Yeovil look to attack down right with Williams but the City defence clear the danger. Rather musical here with drums and trumpets in amongst the Yeovil fans.
20th: Adeyemi trying to burst through and City midfield passing it about nicely. McDonald tries another shot which clips turf and bounces for McCarthy to collect.
18th: Ankles50 "sounding a bit more direct tonight". Certainly good spells of possession tonight so far - looking to get Hoolahan involved and feed McDonald and Adeyemi who are looking bright.
15th: Another City corner - Whaley's cross blocked. Gill takes and the 'keeper fumbles catch but claims at third attempt with Doherty putting him under pressure.
14th: City look to break with Tom Adeyemi but the youngster is just offside as he looks to burst through the Yeovil defence.
11th: Hoolahan puts in a searching cross from the left but it's a little too high for McDonald and drifts out for goal-kick.
9th: Good link-up between Hoolahan and McDonald and Cody takes a low drive but it's wide of McCarthy's right post.
7th: Yeovil free-kick far right - ball whipped in by Murray and deflects over City goal.
5th: City's first corner of game - Alnwick's free-kick finds Holt in the opposite penalty area and Stam clears the striker's header for a flag-kick. Hoolahan takes but the referee blows for a foul on Yeovil 'keeper Alex McCarthy. Good early posession by the Canaries.
2nd: Ball breaks to Grant Holt mid-way in Yeovil's half, he feeds Whaley who puts a cross in to box - Holt and McDonald rise, but the young former Darts' striker heads high and wide.
Hoolahan and Whaley kick the game off for City - we're away.
The teams are out and doing the customary handshakes.
A warm sunny evening greets us at Huish Park, with flag bearers pitchside waiting to welcome the teams. City supporters are housed in terracing behind the goal to our right and also in seating to the right , side-on, about 500 would seem to have made the trip to Somerset.
Team news from Huish Park, where manager Bryan Gunn makes five changes from the opening day defeat to Colchester. Ben Alnwick replaces Michael Theoklitos in goal, Michael Spillane and Jens Berthel Askou come in to defence for Jon Otsemobor and Michael Nelson respectively. Owain Tudur Jones is away on international duty with Wales, over in Montenegro, meaning a first senior start for Academy product Tom Adeyemi, scorer against Man Utd XI. Saturday's goalscorer Cody McDonald starts in place of Chris Martin.
Speaking exclusively to canaries.co.uk, Gunn said: "After Saturday, we felt we needed to make changes to the side. We've made those - Ben Alnwick comes into the side, replacing Michael Theoklitos, and Michael Spillane takes over the right-back position from Jon Otsemobor. Jens Berthal Askou comes in at left centre-back alongside Gary Doherty.
"In midfield there's a forced change because Owain Tudur Jones is away with Wales, so Tom Adeyemi takes his position. Up front we've decided to go with Cody McDonald who's got a bit of pace, to try and get behind the Yeovil defence.
"So there's a number of changes, and on the bench as well we've got Paul McVeigh and Stephen Hughes just to freshen things up. Hopefully the changes and the players attitude will help us get through to the next round of the Carling Cup."
CITY: Alnwick, Drury (Lappin 69), Gill (Hughes 52), Holt, Whaley, Doherty (c), Hoolahan, Spillane, Adeyemi, McDonald (Maric 84), Askou. Subs not used: Cureton, Martin, McVeigh, Theoklitos.
Yeovil: McCarthy, Jones, Stam (C), Caulker, Forbes, O'Callaghan, Williams, Tomlin, Welsh (Smith 84), Murray (Obika 62), Schofield. Subs not used: Alcock, Murtagh, Martin, Lindegaard, McCollin.
